Many beings all across the globe are doing their part to maintain an advised social distance between one another during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, even celestial ones, as evidenced by today's quarantine special for GOOD OMENS.
May 1st marks the 30th anniversary of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's classic novel Good Omens, which Gaiman had adapted into an Amazon limited series last year, starring Michael Sheen and David Tennant as two angels from opposite sides of the hereafter. In honor of the book's 30th circumsolar navigation around the sun, Gaimen has written a special quarantine mini-episode with Sheen and Tennant reprising their roles as the angel Aziraphale and the demon Crowley.
Naturally, the episode finds both protagonists in total lockdown, with little more than a cell signal or landline to keep them connected to one another. Despite his demonic nature, Crowley finds himself unable to be bothered with spreading fear and hatred throughout the world. "I'm bored. I'm so very, very bored. Transcendentally bored. There's nothing to do here. I've decided, that if I can't think of anything to do within the next two days, I'm gonna have a nap, and I'll set the alarm clock for June," Crowley complains to a contented Aziraphale in the video, who it seems is more than happy to spend a bit of quiet time lost among his collection of ancient texts and forgotten manuscripts.
Sensing his dear friend's discontent, Aziraphale inquires about Crowley's reasoning for not breaking quarantine. Perhaps Crowley could tell people that there's a big party going on, or creep up dangerously close to paranoid citizens and spread ill tidings? He is a demon after all.
When confronted with the challenge, Crowley responds, "I could do that. But, if I did, well, people might follow my bad example and get ill, or even die. I know that I ought to be making people's lives even worse but everyone's so miserable and couped up right now anyway. I just don't have the heart for it."
Wow! Whoever said that a demon can't file its horns has obviously never met Crowley.
In case you're wondering, it was indeed GOOD OMENS series director Douglas Mackinnon who helped put today's special together.
"This is our gift to you," said Gaiman on Friday via Twitter. "It's to make people happy, because too many of us are sad."
People are indeed sad. This coronavirus business is lasting far longer than I think anyone had anticipated, and it sounds as if it will be a while yet before we're completely out of the woods. While I know that things are tough all over, I wish you all a safe quarantine, and urge you to engage in any and all activities that bring a smile to your face – so long as those activities are a solo venture. After all, tis better to be a part of the solution than a part of the problem, no? Be good and healthy out there, folks, and try to enjoy your weekend the best you can. Cheers!